Textile composition



Patented Sept. 28, 1954 American Viscose Corporation,

Wilmington,

DeL, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application December 14, 1949, Serial No. 132,994

Claims.

This invention relates' to a composition adapted to be applied to textile materials and particularly yarns for the purpose of rendering such yarns amenable to subsequent textile processing operations, such as weaving, knitting, braiding, and the like.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a composition which imparts improved lubricity to the textile materials. A further object is to provide a composition which is capable of forming an emulsion which can be used for simply, reliably, and uniformly applying the composition to the textile materials. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent and the description thereof hereinafter.

It has been the common practice in the past to apply a finish or dressing to yarns and particularly those artificial yarns produced from regenerated cellulose, for the purpose of rendering such yarns more amenable to textile purposes, such as further twisting, or conversion into fabrics by weaving, knitting, or the like. Such compositions have been applied either by the use of an organic solvent, by direct application, or by the medium of an emulsion in water. Generally, satisfactory dressed yarns are not obtained by the application of compositions which are not liquids at ordinary temperatures of application, and the use of high temperatures to melt such compositions is generally not practical in conventional operations. Furthermore, the use of an organic solvent is also circumscribed by the disadvantages of expense, necessity of recovery of the solvent, fire, health, and explosion hazards. In view of these disadvantages, the general procedure in use today is still by and large through the medium of an emulsion. However, in preparing an emulsion, it is generally found that the better the lubricant, the more difficult it is to emulsify, and hence a larger proportion of an emulsifier is needed. The emulsifier dilutes the lubricant and necessarily forms a part of the composition that remains on the yarn. Because of this dilution, the efiective lubricity in thedressed yarn is correspondingly reduced depending upon the amount of emulsifier needed to be used.

In accordance with the present invention, a composition for dressing textiles is provided which comprises a lubricant, an emulsifier, and optionally a buffer. The emulsifier, however, incorporated by the present invention has lubricating properties in itself when used in combination with the lubricants hereinafter specified.

Therefore, the invention provides an improved textile finishing or dressing composition adapted to application by the medium of an emulsion in which the lubricity imparted by the lubricant in the composition has practically full effectiveness in spite of the presence of the emulsifier.

The lubricant comprises ether-ester compounds of the following formula:

in which X is a member from the group consisting of H, OH, and an alkyl group having from 1' to 6 carbon atoms, R is a member selected from the group consisting of CH2 and 023314, n is an integer having a value of 2 to 6, R is an acyl radical having 12 to 30 carbon atoms and the ratio of the carbon atoms in R, to n times the carbon atoms in R plus the carbon atoms in X is at least 2:1. Examples of these compounds, when X is CH, are the ethylene oxide condensation products of the higher fatty acids such as lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, arachidic, behenic, lignoceric, cerotic, montanic, and melissic; preferred specific compounds include hydroxyethoxyethyl stearate in which n is 2, R. is 021-14, and R is the stearyl group, and the condensation products having an average of two moles of ethylene oxide with palmitic or stearic acids. When X is an alkyl group and n is 2, preferred examples are the alkoxyalkyl esters of a fatty acid having from 12 to 30 carbon atoms and in which the total number of carbon atoms in the alkoxyalkyl group is between 2 and 15 and the ratio of the carbon atoms in the alkoxyalkyl group to those in the fatty acid group is not over 1:2; examples of alkoxyalkyl groups are: methoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, ethoxymethyl, ethoxyethyl, propoxyethyl, butoxyethyl, butoxymethyl and the like; examples of fatty acids include the following: lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, arachidic, behenic, lignoceric, cerotic, montanic, and melissic; and preferred specific examples of compounds are butyl Cellosolve stearate (butoxyethyl stearate), ethoxyethyl stearate, and the like.

of these various esters, the liquid esters are preferred because they have the advantage of ease of make-up. Because of their liquid condition, any commercial grade thereof is ready for introduction into the composition Without special care in melting and mixing such as would be necessary with a solid product.

The lubricating emulsifier consists of an ethylene oxide condensation product of a triester of a mono-anhydro hexitol with a saturated fatty acid having 14 to 18 carbon atoms, the condensation product containing between 12 and 20 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of tri-ester. Specific examples of these compounds are the ethylene oxide condensation products of mannitan and sorbitan tri-esters of myristic, palmitic and stearic acids.

The use of a buffer is optional and depends upon the particular materials to which the composition is applied. When the composition is intended to be applied to freshly spun regenerated cellulose filaments or yarns as the final treatment of the liquid after-treating sequence, it is desirable to have the buffer because of the possibility of the yarn carrying a small amount of residual acid to the finishing stage from the preceding treatments. As the buffer, it has been found that outstanding results are obtained with sodium sorbitol borate or sodium mannitan borate. These buffers dry to a film without crystallization and produce soluble calcium and magnesium salts in the presence of hard water and a soluble zinc salt which is extremely advantageous when treating freshly spun regenerated cellulose which has been produced with a coagulating hath containing a zinc salt giving rise to the possibility of traces of zinc being carried over to the finishing stage by oocasional inadequate washing or purification.

The various components of the composition are compounded in the following proportions: 0.2 to 1.5% of lubricant, 0.1 to 0.5% lubricating emulsifier, and when used, 0.01 to 0.1% of the bufier, water being added to make up the balance to 100%. A preferred composition contains the components in the following proportions: 0.2% lubricant, 0.2% emulsifier, and, when used, 0.05% buffer.

The ingredients of the composition are stable up to 150 C. and they form an emulsion which is stable under normal storage conditions up to 65 C. The normal conditions of application are at room temperatures with the liquid cold or, preferably at 40 to 50 C., though higher or lower temperatures of the emulsion do not interfere with the proper application. None of the components of the emulsion are salted out by lime in the ordinary concentrations found in hard waters; they do not form objectionable foams; and they are easily applied and easily scoured from the fabric when used as a yarn dressing intended to be removed after fabrication.

The composition of the present invention is peculiarly adapted to the finishing of rayon yarns for filling, warp, or knitting purposes, especially regenerated cellulose previous to its first drying. In both of these applications, the amount deposited upon the yarn may vary from 0.1 to 5% by weight of the yarn and a preferred range is 0.2 to 0.5%. When applied to rayon yarn in the form of cakes collected in centrifugal pots, it has been found that the cakes are extremely easily unwound and in this respect there is a great improvement in the reduction of snags and plucks resulting from the catching of one convolution of the yarn upon another adjacent thereto. It has been found that the waste from such unwinding of cakes is almost completely eliminated since it is possible to run down practically to the last winding of the cake because the yarn in the cake carrying the composition of the present invention seems to cause the cake to hold its form better without collapsing, particularly when a relatively small proportion of the windings remain to be unwound. Also, the general processing, such as coning and copping are facilitated as well as the weaving, knitting and other fabric conversion processes. The application of the composition does not interfere with slashing. In fact, it is in many cases an aid to the depositing of a warp size upon the yarns and in this connection, it may be considered as an anchor coating.

Emulsions of the following constitution are applied to freshly spun regenerated cellulose filament yarns after liquid treatment and prior to their first drying. The average pick-up was about 0.3% by weight on the yarn.

Example I Per cent Butyl Cellosolve stearate 0.2 Condensation product of sorbitan tristearate (1 mole) with ethylene oxide (16 moles) 0.2 Sodium sorbitol borate 0.05 Water to make Example II Per cent Ethoxyethyl stearate 0.5 Condensation product of sorbitan tripalmitate (1 mole) with ethylene oxide (16 moles) 0.5

Sodium sorbitol borate 0.1

Water to make 100 Example III Per cent Butyl Cellosolve stearate 1.0 Condensation product of mannitan tristearate (1 mole) with ethylene oxide (average of 14 moles) 0.5 Sodium sorbitol borate 0.1 Water to make 100 Example IV Per cent Condensation product of stearic acid (1 mole) with ethylene oxide (2 moles) 0.2 Condensation product of sorbitan tristearate (1 mole) with ethylene oxide (16 moles) 0.2 Sodium sorbitol borate 0.05

Water to make 100 The following composition was applied to dried yarns of regenerated cellulose which were then used as filling yarns in weaving:

Example V Per cent Butyl Cellosolve stearate 0.2 Condensation product of sorbitan trilaurate (1 mole) with ethylene oxide (16 moles) 0.2

Water to make 100 Example VI Yarns of cellulose acetate are passed through the following emulsion preparatory to a knitting operation:

Per cent Butyl Cellosolve stearate 0.1 Condensation product of sorbitan trilaurate (1 mole) with ethylene oxide (12 moles) 0.2

Water to make 100 The composition may be applied to yarns comprising filaments of regenerated cellulose produced from viscose, cuprammonium cellulose,

nitrocellulose, and the like, or of cellulose esters, such as cellulose acetate, propionate or cellulose propionate butyrate; cellulose ethers, such as ethyl cellulose, benzyl cellulose, either of the solvent-soluble type or of the water-insoluble, alkali-soluble type, casein or other proteins, synthetic resins, such as nylon, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene, and also copolymers of vinyl chloride, with vinyl acetate, acrylonitrile vinylidene chloride, and the like. The composition may also be applied to yarns comprising fibers of natural origin, such as cotton, wool, silk and the like. The composition may be applied to any of the synthetic or natural fiber yarns, or cords or fabrics formed therefrom, for any of the purposes mentioned hereinabove, such as for a knitting lubricant, a tire cord preparatory finish, a Warp-size, or the like.

The composition may be applied in any of the concentrations mentioned hereinabove to other articles such as papers, felts, cellophane or cellulose acetate sheets as a priming coating to facilitate the acceptance by the article of a subsequent coating of other material, such as a rubber latex.

I claim:

1. A composition for conditioning textiles consisting of as a lubricant, 25 to 75 parts by weight of an alkoxyalkyl ester of a fatty acid having 12 to 30 carbon atoms, the alkoxyalkyl group having between 2 and 15 carbon atoms, the ratio of carbon atoms in the alkoxyalkyl group to the carbon atoms in the fatty acid being not over 1:2; and, as a lubricating emulsifier, 25 to 75 parts by weight of an ethylene oxide condensation product of a triester of an inner ether of a hexitol with a saturated fatty acid, said acid having 14 to 18 carbon atoms, said condensation product containing an average of 12 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of tri-ester.

An aqueous oil-in-water emulsion consisting of water and, dispersed in the water: 0.2 to 1.5% of an alkoxyalkyl ester of a fatty acid having 12 to 30 carbon atoms, the alkoxyalkyl group having from 2 to 15 carbon atoms and the ratio of carbon atoms in the alkoxyalkyl group to those in the fatty acid group being not over 1:2; said compound being emulsified by 0.1 to 0.5% of an ethylene oxide condensation product of a tri-esterof an inner ether of a hexitol with a saturated fatty acid having 14 to 18 carbon atoms, said condensation product containing an average of 12 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of the tri-est'er; and up to 0.1% of a bufier.

3. An aqueous oil-in-Water emulsion consisting of water and, dispersed in the water: 0.2% of an alkoxyalkyl ester of a saturated fatty acid having 12 to 30 carbon atoms, the alkoxyalkyl group having from 2 to 15 carbon atoms and the ratio of carbon atoms in the alkoxyalkyl group to those in the fatty acid group being not over 1:2 said compound being emulsified by 0.2% of an ethylene oxide condensation product of a tri-ester of an inner ether of a hexitol with a saturated fatty acid having 14 to 18 carbon atoms, said condensation product containing an average of 12 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of the tri-ester; and up to 0.1% of sodium sorbitol borate.

4. A composition consisting of water and dispersed in the water, 0.2 to 1.5% of butoxyethyl stearate and 0.1 to 0.5% of a condensation product having an average of 16 moles of ethylene oxide with 1 mole of sorbitan tri-stearate.

5. A composition consisting of water and, dispersed in the Water, 0.2 to 1.5% of butoxyethyl stearate, 0.1 to 0.5% of a condensation product having an average of 12 moles of ethylene oxide with mannitan tripalmitate, and up to 0.1% of sodium sorbitol borate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,826,900 Schrader Oct. 13, 1931 1,959,930 Schmidt et al May 22, 1934 1,970,578 Schoeller et a1 Aug. 21, 1934 2,112,117 Robinson Mar. 22, 1938 2,113,325 Koch Apr. 5, 1938 2,164,235 Garner June 27, 1939 2,298,432 Thompson Oct. 13, 1942 2,404,240 MacLaurin July 16, 1946 2,418,752 Brown Apr. 8, 1947 2,436,219 MacLaurin Feb. 17, 1948 2,456,283 Jefierson Dec. '14, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 575,531 Great Britain Feb. 21, 1946 OTHER REFERENCES Atlas "Spans & Tweens (1942). Copy in Div.

Glyco Chemicals, by Glyco Prod. Co. Inc. (page 36 pertinent), Brooklyn, N. Y. (1944). Copy in Div. 64. 

1. A COMPOSITION FOR CONDITIONING TEXTILES CONSISTINAG OF: AS A LUBRICANT, 25 TO 75 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF AN ALKOXYALKYL ESTER OF A FATTY ACID HAVING 12 TO 30 CARBON ATOMS, THE ALKOXYALKYL GROUP HAVING BETWEEN 2 AND 15 CARBON ATOMS, THE RATIO OF CARBON ATOMS IN THE ALKOXYALKYL GROUP TO THE CARBON ATOMS IN THE FATTY ACID BEING NOT OVER 1:2; AND, AS A LUBRICATING EMULSIFIER, 25 TO 75 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF AN ETHYLENE OXIDE CONDENSATION PRODUCT OF A TRI-ESTER OF AN INNER ETHER OF A HEXITOL WITH A SATURATED FATTY ACID, SAID ACID HAVIANG 14 TO 18 CARBON ATOMS, SAID CONDENSATION PRODUCT CONTAINING AN AVERAGE OF 12 TO 20 MOLES OF ETHYLENE OXIDE PER MOLE TRI-ESTER. 